The Pocky Game
by Anarchy Undead
Summary: It's coming up to Valentine's Day and, as a PR stunt, a snack food company is handing out free sample boxes of pocky in the park to people to play the pocky game with their significant others. One-shots of the Digi-destined all getting a sample. Rated T for Tri (and later chapters).


**(Disclaimer: I in no way, shape or form own Digimon, I'm just a guy who writes fanfics sometimes. Please support the official release.)**

**(I wrote the script of this and the other chapters awhile ago. Seeing as it's Valentine's Day tomorrow, I thought I might as well post at least one chapter. Might start on the other chapters later or save them for next year, not sure. Anyway, hope you enjoy it and thanks for read!)**

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Valentine's Day.

A western holiday named after the Christians patron saint of love. A holiday that was then commercialised and distributed the world over, so even in places like Japan, where Christianity wasn't a major religion, Valentine's Day was advertised as a day where people are pressured into taking their significant others out for a romantic rendezvous, or pressure those who are single to go out and find a date.

And the big corporations of the world exploit the hell out of it!

From cards and expensive gifts like jewellery, to reservations at fancy restaurants and other romantic destinations, once a year events like these were a cash cow that every business wanted to milk every last drop out of.

Promotional stunts are also a common around events like these. In one particular case, a confections company is promoting one of their most popular products, pocky, in a public park in Tokyo, Japan. They're just small boxes, hold only twelve sticks each and include instruction on how to play the pocky game on the side of the box, but they are quite popular and sales have already seen an increase in sales. And it was only a week away from Valentine's Day.

On this day, Joe Kido was taking a nice walk through the park. He had been working hard at school for the past few days and had decided to take a break and go clear his head before it overloads and fries from all the studying he's been doing… Granted, it was at the insistent of his that he get out more, but it was his decision to go to the park!

Anyway, while he was walking through the park, he came across one of the pocky promotional stands and was given one of the sample boxes. Normally Joe wouldn't purchase anything with chocolate or other such snack foods, not having the biggest sweet tooth (that would be Mimi), but free was free and he could always just give it to one of his friends anyway.

As he walked away from the stand, Joe looked at the free sample he got, seeing what it said on the side. "The pocky game, huh?" Of course. It would be Valentine's Day soon, it was obvious what kind of market manipulation was going on here. Honestly, trying to swindle young couples like that…

Although, for a brief moment, the thought of playing it with his girlfriend did cross his mind. He knows such games are childish, but who was he to let an opportunity like this slip past him. If nothing else, the box of treats would make a nice gift. "Well... it wouldn't hurt to try... I hope she likes this flavor." He says to himself. He stops at a nearby tree and puts the sample in his backpack-

"Hey, who are you talking about?"

Or at least he would have if a head of a certain Digimon partner didn't pop out when he opened it.

Joe stumbled slightly in surprise as Gomamon's head emerged from the now open bag. "What the-Gomamon!" he quietly yelled at his partner. Honestly, he shouldn't be as surprised as he was, this wasn't the first time the little seal Digimon had done this, and his bag had felt heavier than usual. Joe finally calmed and asked, with a slightly annoyed tone of voice, "What are you doing here? Didn't I tell you to stay at home? What if someone saw you?"

Joe's questions were completely ignored as Gomamon continued. "You talkin' about that girlfriend of yours again?" he says, looking at his human partner with cheeky smirk, "Or are you talking about a real person this time?"

Joe was really sick of people not believing him about his relationship status. "My girlfriend IS real!" he hissed through gritted teeth, trying to keep his voice down as much as possible so as not to attract attention, "And get back in the bag before someone sees you!"

Once again, Gomamon ignored Joe in order to tease him some more. "Or maybe you're taking your relationship with your body-pillow to the next level."

Tis got Joe really flustered, his face practically glowing red with embarrassment now. "That is for comfort purposes only!" he yelled, a lot louder than he meant to. Fortunately, no one was close enough to pay him any mind.

"I know whatchya mean, good buddy." Gomamon spoke as he placed one of his clawed flippers on Joe's shoulder, "Being alone must be terribly uncomfortable."

Joe was seriously getting annoyed now. He would have glared daggers at his Digimon partner, but didn't want to give the little seal creature the satisfaction. Instead, Joe took a deep breath in and mumbled "I am NOT alone..." loud enough for only Gomamon to hear.

Gomamon was not discouraged, however, and placed his other front appendage upon the human's free shoulder. "That's right, Joe, you're not. Because no matter what happens, I'll be there for you!" he said, genuinely meaning those words of encouragement.

"Great…" he muttered sarcastically. They maybe be popular opposites and they did get on each other's nerves a lot of the time, but that does not dilute the fact that they were best friends.

"Which is why I'm willing to play the pocky game with you!"

Joe freezes in place upon Gomamon saying that. Did he hear him right? Was he implying that they… no. it couldn't be. It couldn't! Could it? "You... y-you can't be serious, right?"

"Of course I am!" Gomamon responded in a cherry voice, much to Joe's dismay, "I'll do whatever it takes to make my partner for life happy!"

'Oh god, he was serious.'

Joe thought to himself as he became visibly paler and lowered his head slowly, unable to look his Digimon in the eye. "Nothing you just said is making me happy right now..." he said in a dread filled voice too low for the Digimon to hear, despite their close proximity.

"So, how do ya play?"

Joe lifted his head back up at his partner, who was patiently wait for a answer to his innocent question. "...Say what now?"

"Well, I can't play with ya if I don't know the rules, now can I?" Gomamon said almost too innocently. It seemed like he really didn't know. Detaching himself from Joe, he looks at the sample box in his human friends hand and grabs it in one claw to get a better look at it. "I mean, pocky's a food, so it's like some kind of eating contest, right?" he said as he examined the box.

Joe looked at his Digimon while rubbing the back of his head. This looked like it could get really awkward and/or confusing if he didn't chose his words right. "Well, I mean when you get down to it, yeah, kinda. But, umm..." Not sure how to continue his sentence, Joe looks around and see a young couple playing the pocky game against a tree, and so decides to point over to them. Hoping that their actions would give a better explanation then his stuttering words. "It's basically that."

Gomamon looked over at the couple and sees for himself how the game is played. It started out simple enough: the pair each had one end of the pocky stick in their mouths. It got a little strange when they both started eating the stick, but not as strange as when the two humans touched their lips together. The Digimon blinks and suddenly is treated to seeing with the two humans sticking their tongues in each other's mouths as his face twists in a disgusted and horrified expression.

Gomamon finally looks away, shaking his head to clear his expression, but the memory of what he saw did make his eye twitch a little. "Y'know... on second thought, I think I'll just stay in the bag. It's nice and safe in here. No humans being gross in here."

Joe watches as the digital monster dives back into bag and lets out a sigh of relief. "Thank y-"

"Have fun practicing on your body-pillow!"

Never has Joe thought about abandoning his partner after they became friends all those years ago on that crazy summer vacation. But right now, as he zipped up his bag and started walking back home, he was starting to consider it.

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** (Does Joe really have a girlfriend like he said in Tri, or is he just saying that to make himself feel better? Tell me what you think.)**


End file.
